London: the food porn post

Brie ice cream at Vanilla Black
Brie ice cream at Vanilla Black, London

Eating: it’s one of our main forms of entertainment whenever we visit London. Here are some of our favorite restaurants from our most recent trip. 

Amuse bouche of strawberry balsamic mousse at Vanilla Black
Amuse bouche of strawberry balsamic mousse at Vanilla Black

On our first evening we dined at Vanilla Black, a vegetarian restaurant which seems to specialize in cheese-centered dishes, much to my delight. My brie ice cream appetizer was one of the tastiest (and most photogenic) things I have eaten all year.

Ribblesdale pudding at Vanilla Black
Ribblesdale pudding at Vanilla Black

Everything else we tried at Vanilla Black (fried mushroom pudding, cheese pudding… several types of pudding, really) was yummy and creative, as well. Reservations are recommended at this popular restaurant. We’re hoping to try their sister restaurant, Orchard Kitchen, on our next trip to London.

Burrata and smoked mozzarella at Obika
Burrata and smoked mozzarella at Obika

Obika mozzarella bar was one of our favorite restaurants when we lived in Milan. Since we moved away, they have been busy expanding to major cities around the world. Although never quite as good as the in-Italy version, their fresh balls of buffalo mozzarella are hard to pass up whenever we come across one of their locations.

Goodies at Apple Market, London
Street food goodies at Apple Market, London

Another lovely evening meal was consumed at Mazi, which offers a creative, modern take on Greek cuisine. All the beautifully-presented dishes are designed to be shared, and there are plenty of vegetarian items on the menu. The eggplant with stilton and tomatoes was a stand-out.

party on a plate at Mazi
party on a plate at Mazi

One of the things that American expats in Europe can talk about for ages is how much we miss good Mexican food. Which is why it’s all the more exciting to come across a place like Lupita, purveyors of Mexico City street food.

shrimp tacos at Lupita
shrimp tacos at Lupita

Tacos! Tostadas! Tortilla soup! Guacamole! Everything we tried at Lupita was scrumptious, right down to the churros with caramel. We liked it so much we went back a second time. Its West End location made it the perfect place for a meal before or after a show.

Tostada heaven at Lupitas
Tostada heaven at Lupita

It’s not just sit-down restaurants that London does well; the options for tasty fast-food lunches in this city are mighty impressive. We were delighted to discover Kimchee on this visit, a Korean eatery similar in style and concept to Itsu (our favorite places for fast-food sushi in London).

salad at Kimchee
salad at Kimchee

The freshness of the veggies in the salads and soups at Kimchee was impressive – I’ve had limper lettuce at fancy-schmancy restaurants. Kimchee, when are you going to open in Edinburgh?

Fast food with people watching at Kimchee
Fast food with people watching at Kimchee

And for that matter, why haven’t Itsu or Wasabi found it in their hearts to bring their oh-so-convenient sushi to Edinburgh? Fingers crossed they decide to look north sometime soon.

a quick lunch at Wasabi
a quick lunch at Wasabi

Now I am starving, and wondering when we can fit in our next trip to London. Any tips for where we should eat next time we’re there?

Deliciousness at Apple Market
Deliciousness at Apple Market, London

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2 thoughts on “London: the food porn post”

    • Seriously! The only people who still think that must be folks who haven’t dined in England since the post-was period.

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